Under the laws of South Dakota, the School Board acts as the governing body of the public schools with full powers of direction and control. The Board derives its authority from the state legislature and will function within the framework of state and federal laws and regulations, court decisions and attorney general opinions.

Recognizing the authority of the state, the Board considers the following its general functions:

1. To select and employ a Superintendent of schools and support him or her in the discharge of his or her responsibilities.

2. To formulate and enact policy and to delegate the application of policies to the Superintendent and his staff, who will be held responsible for the effective administration and supervision of the entire school system.

3. To provide for the planning, expansion, improvement, financing, construction and maintenance of the physical plant of the school system.

4. To establish and maintain records, accounts, archives, management methods and procedures incidental to the conduct of school business.

5. To approve the budget, financial reports, audits, major expenditures, payment of obligations and policies that enable the administration to formulate regulations and other guides for the orderly accomplishment of business.

6. To estimate and levy taxes for the operation, support, maintenance, improvement and extension of the school system.

7. To adopt courses of study, and provide instructional materials.

8. To employ support and certificated personnel to carry out school programs, and provide fair and equitable compensation.

9. To evaluate the educational program to determine the effectiveness with which the schools are achieving the educational purpose of the school system.

10. To provide for the dissemination of school district information to the public and maintain open lines of communication with the community.